Vehicle horn



J. E. GRIFFIN June u, was.;

VEHICLE HORN A Filed Aug. 29, 1952 ATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1935 A unir VEHICLE HORN Joseph E. Griffin, Savannah, Ga. v Application August 29, 1932, serial No. 630,918

4 claims.

My invention relates to vehicle horns and more particularly to that type wherein a disk vof recorded sound is employed to produce a signal warning, Vand it consists inthe constructions,

arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of my invention to provide a motor driven horn wherein the sound record is automatically brought into and out of engagement with a stylus, upon energization of the motor.

It is also an object of my invention to provide means for accurately positioning the stylus upon the record disk, as well as eliminating undesired vibrations to the diaphragm of the horn.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a structure wherein the record disk may be readily removed from its supporting head whereby disks having various sound records or slogans may be interchanged.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will loe` apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a sectional view through a horn constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the parts in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a similar View on a reduced scale, illustrating the parts in inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View illustrating the record disk supporting and securing means;

Fig. llfis a cross: section on the line '4--4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the combined; centering and fastening means for the record disk.

In carrying out my invention I provide a horn which, in the present instance, comprises a casing ll flanged at i2 for attachment to a diaphragm casing. vThe diaphragm casing comprises two sections Ml and E5, respectively, and between these sections is secured a diaphragm l5. The latter, as willbe observed, is fluted or corrugated for a purpose hereinafter explained. The section ill is provided with a central opening il' through which a stylus it carried by the central portion of the diaphragm Aiii is projected while the section itl is provided with the usual funnel-shaped horn member i9 for permitting egress of sound. The opening l1 at its lower point has a bearing 2t forming a rocking pivot for the stylus as will now be described.

The stylus i8 is secured centrally of the diaphragm but the stylus point 2i is oiset by virtue of the angularly disposed intermediate portion 22. The portion 22 `is so disposed as to overlie and contact with'the pivot 2t as clearly shown in Fig. 1.- The stylus point 2i projects a substantial distance from the section I4 as shown for engagement kwith a record disk as will be 6 presently described. At a point diametrically opposite the pivot` 2E! the section i4 is provided with a projecting supporting enlargement 23 and secured `to this lenlargement at 24 is a resilient centering device 25. The centering device, in thepresent instance, comprises a flat spring the lower end of which is provided with a guide stylus 26 adapted to engage a spiral groove 21 formed in the face of a securing nut 23.

Secured to the rear of the casing E4 is a bracket. Ma. and upon this `bracket is a pair of spaced upstanding arms 29, between which is pivotally mounted at` 3o ari-electric motor; This motor includes a casing 3i, eld coils 32, an armature 33 and aycommutator 345. The armature 33 is of a length considerably less than the coils 32 and normally occupies a position shown in Fig. 2.

The armature 33 isf rotatably -mounted in bearings 35 yof the motor by means of an armature shaft'36. `The shaft 36 projects beyond the casing at one end andis reciprocably mounted in a slot 31 of'a vertically extending standard 33 securedito the bracket lila. Said standard and upstanding arms comprise a pair of mountings of vwhich'one` is-higher than the other to support the shaft 35 on an axial pitch. The standard 38 mayvinclude a removable cap 39 whereby the motor may be tilted to facilitate changing a record diskas hereinafter explained. In the normal or inoperative position of the motor the shaft 36 will rest on the lower end of the slot 31 as indicated in Fig. 2.

A suitable distance outwardly of the standard 38 the shaft 36 has keyed thereto at 40 a disk platen or turntable 4i of a diameter to accommodate a sound disk or` record 42, and the extremity of the shaft is screw threaded as at 43 toreceive the securing nut 28 for maintaining the disk securelyin position upon the platen.

As has been previously stated, in normal position, the coils 32 of the motor extend beyond the inner end of the armature so that upon energization of the coil the armature 33 will be given a thrust forwardly in the direction of the centering device 25 and stylus i8 and at the same time will have the usual rotary movement. In order to permit such forward thrust the commutator 34 is of a length greater than is usually found in motors of this type so that the brushes 44 of the commutator will remain in contact therewith at all times. The record disk 42 may be formed of any suitable material such as babbitt and the sound grooves 45 thereof are pref--v erably formed relatively heavy in order to present a record of such durability as to withstand the alternate engagement and disengagement of the stylus point 2|.

The convolutions of the groove 2`| formed in the face of thesecuring nut 28 are given an identical spacing as those of the groove 45 of the record disk so that upon engagement of the stylus or pointer 26 of the centering device 25 with the groove of the nut 28 the stylus point 2| will be in direct alinement with the groove of the record disk.

The operation of my horn will be readily un derstood from the following description and reference is made particularly to Figs. and 2 of the drawing. v

With the parts in normal position as shown in Fig. 2, when the switch 46 is closed the motor 3| will be energized by virtue of its connection with a storage battery 4l. Upon 'energizationof the motor coils 32 the armature 33will be rotated and since the coils 32 project beyond that end of the armature nearest to the record disk, the armature including its shaft 36 will be given a forward thrust due to the attraction of the armature by said coils. During such movement 0f the armature the nut 28 will of course be advanced so as to cause engagement of a portion of the groove 2l with the point of the centering device 26. The centering device Will be flexed until the stylus point 2| engages a portion of the groove 45 of the record disk and by said flexure absorb the shock of engagement. It will be understood of course that as the armature is advancing as described, the platen and associated disk 42 is rotated, and as sooni as the stylus i8 engages with the sound record groove, the diaphragm I6 Will be given vibrations in accordance with the record groove and these sounds will be emitted from the horn I9. As long as the switch 46 maintains the circuit closed to the motor the platen will continue to rotate, and as the stylus l@ and pointer 26 are in engagement with' the respective grooves of the record disk and nut the motor 3| will be tilted upon its pivot progressively farther as the stylus rides towards the outer edge of the sound disk. It will be noted that the operation of this sound disk differs from that of the ordinary sound disk in that the stylus proceeds from the inner portion of the groove to the outer portion.

As soon as the switch is opened, the fieldxcoils 32 will be de-energized and the armature 'will slide back by gravity to its normal position, the guide stylus 26 meanwhile supporting the record end of the motor due to its resiliency until the shaft 35 is retracted far enough to clear the stylus on the diaphragm, when the armature is slid to the position shown in Fig. 2 in readiness for the next closing operation of the switch.

The corrugated diaphragm centralizes the piv- 0ta1 movement of the guide stylus 26 for it will be noted that the connection tothe diaphragm is on a vertical line above the pivotal point. The corrugated diaphragm also displaces more air for the same movement of theI vibrator arm than a fiat diaphragm.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a talking horn of extreme simplicity, and durable construction and while I have shown and described a preferred form of' the device, it should be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details set forth, and reserve as my own all such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

1. A signal comprising two styli, a diaphragm to which one stylus is attached, a support to which the other stylus is attached, a grooved record spaced from the diaphragm-stylus, a turntable, securing means to fasten the record on the turntable, said means having a groovematching the groove in the record, and means to simultaneously revolve the turntable and shift it toward the diaphragm and support thereby to engage the styli with thegrooves of the respective record and securing means. v

2. A signal comprising a diaphragm having a. stylus, a turntable and an attached record having a spiral sound groove, an armature-shaft assemblage carrying the turntable, a motor including field coils respecting which the armature is revoluble and shiftable, means to pivotally support the motor so that the groove will retain the stylus, supporting means for the shaft to hold the motor on an incline and let the assemblage shift back froml the stylusby gravity, and means to energize the field coils to revolve the assemblage and at the same'time shift it forwardly until the record engages the stylus.

3. A signal comprising a casing section having a central opening and comprising a supp0rta bearing on said support, a diaphragm mounted on one side of the section and having a stylus extending through the opening to the other side of the section and resting on the bearing, a second stylus mounted on the support, a turntablehaving a record with a sound groove engageable with the diaphragm and stylus, securing means to fasten the record on the turntable having a matching which the armature is revoluble, said armature being initially axially positioned at one side of the field coils, and a pair of mountings of which one is higher than the other vto support the shaft on an axial pitch, the energization of the field coils attracting said armature toward the center of the field and causing the shaft to slip endwise up the incline as revolution begins.

JosEPH E. GRIFFIN.

45 groove engageable with the second stylus, an 1 

